Proposed Memo to All Division Managers from Tom Jones

Subject: Technical Writing Training Course

In response to concerns raised by the General Manager about the quality of technical writing at the plant, T&DT has identified a source for technical writing training that will be cost-free.  T&DT needs your assistance in identifying personnel within your division who would benefit the most from this training.  They also need your help in identifying strong writers in your organization who can participate in a pilot class for this training to ensure the content and length of the final course meet your needs.

The target audience for the first classes is managers, engineers, scientists, and other technical support personnel who prepare internal procedures or instructions, technical reports, and external correspondence.  This course will likely not be appropriate for secretaries and other clerical personnel.  If you have needs in those areas, please let T&DT know and they can examine the feasibility of developing a separate course geared toward that audience.

The classes will be taught by instructors from West Texas A&M University at the Hastings Electronic Learning Center.  We anticipate the classes will be three days long, but this may change based on the results of the pilot course review.  The course will provide a review of basic grammar and punctuation, but per Tom's direction, will focus more heavily on document preparation including planning, organizing, writing, and editing.  The pilot will be held near the middle of June, with classes starting the middle of June and continuing through July.  the exact date of the pilot will be provided as soon as we negotiate the schedule with the instructor.  We anticipate training approximately 150 employees during this time.

This is an excellent opportunity to fine tune your employees' writing skills to improve document quality at Pantex.  Please provide a list of employees you would like to attend the course and the name of your division representative who will attend the pilot course to Sam Smith, T&DT Ext. 0001, by May 31.

To:           Division Managers
From:      Tom Jones
Date:       15 May 2001
Subject:   Technical writing workshops

1.  Problem:

     Doing our jobs at Pantex often depends on accurate and 
     understandable communication.  The General Manager 
     hopes that some effort to improve the quality of 
     technical writing will help everyone do his or her job 
     better.  

2.  Solution: Tech. Writing Workshops:

     Professors from West Texas A&M University will 
     conduct three-day workshops at the Hastings Electronic 
     Learning Center located in University library basement.  
     The workshops will offer a review of grammar and 
     punctuation, but will be more concerned with document  
     development skills, including: planning, organizing,  
     writing, and editing.  

3.  Who should go?

      Managers, engineers, scientists, and technical support 
      personnel who write internal procedures, instructions, 
      technical reports, and external correspondence.

4.  Who should not go?

     Probably, secretaries and clerical personnel who 
     complete forms rather than create reports from scratch.  
     If you would like to have instruction appropriate for  
     workers in these job descriptions, please contact T&DT.

5.  Cost?

     Hey, it is free and it can help your employees do a better
     job!

6.  When?

     The pilot course is scheduled for mid-July.  Five  
     three-day workshops will then be offered in July and  
     August.  We hope to provide a professional 
     development opportunity for 150 employees. 

7.  Division Managers

• Please provide a list of those in your division 
  who would like to attend the workshops.
• Please identify your division representative who 
  will attend the pilot course.  This person will likely 
  be a good writer.
• Send these by 31 May 2001 to: Sam Smith, T&DT.